Transformers # 80.5

May 1st...Free Comic Book Day...It all begins again! Welcome back Marvel run, and welcome back Simon Furman!

Hydra

Since I did a spotlight on Buster, I had to do one for his brother Hydra. Hydra is the Japanese counterpart to the U.S. character Darkwing. Hydra was shown in animated form in the Japanese exclusive television series Transformers: Super-God Masterforce. In this series, there are no Power Masters per say , but rather the God Masters (not referencing a deity, but referencing power). By harnessing the master-force, humans were able to combine with Transtectors becoming Transformers themselves. Hydra and his brother Buster joined Devil Z and the new generation of Decepticon forces. The figure is another great toy from the line. Like Buster, Hydra can transform into an "engine" and connect to the jet to unlock the toy's ability to transform into robot mode. When the two jets are combined in vehicle mode, Buster and Hydra form the super jet Darkwing. Another great figure from the series and worth picking up.

One More Time...Transformers: The Complete Series

Just in case you missed the first release of Transformers: The Complete Series from Shout Factory, they are releasing a new complete series collection in 2011. This box set should be easier to find and at most major retail stores. Be on the lookout, the set is coming! Also, Shout Factory has confirmed new box sets for Transformers: Beast Wars and the never before officially released in the United States Japanese exclusive Transformers: Takara series! Transformers: Takara is the collective name for the three shows which were released from 1988 to 1990 exclusively in Japan: Transformers: The Headmasters, Transformers: Super-God Masterforce, and Transformers: Victory.

Buster

Before jumping back into my Making Sense of Generation One series, I thought I would put up a couple toy reviews on two of the characters from the second chapter of the Japanese exclusive animated series. Buster is the Japanese version of the U.S. character Dreadwind. The figure is a Godmaster (Powermaster in the U.S. and Europe). The gimmick behind this figure is that a human being is using the Masterforce is able to transform and combine with a lifeless Transtector to become a Transformer himself. Buster and his brother Hydra were able to combine with two Transtectors which transformed from jets to robots. The two jets could also combine in vehicle mode to form Darkwing (Dreadwing in the U.S. and Europe).

The toy itself is exactly the same as his U.S. counterpart. The only major difference is the color scheme has been slightly altered. The jet comes with a pilot figure which can transform into an engine. When the engine is combined with the jet, it unlocks the toy's ability to transform. The jet mode looks great (minus the robot arm kibble under the wings). The robot mode also looks great, but it has a lot of jet kibble on the back. As with most Generation One Transformers, articulation is limited at best. However, that was part of the charm to me of the old school figures.

The toy was released in 1988 in the U.S. as the Decepticon Power Master Dreadwind. Since the U.S. animated series had ended its run of new episodes in 1987, the only animated version of Dreadwind was seen in the toy commercials. Dreadwind played a larger role in the U.S. comics. In Japan, Buster was released also in 1988 as part of the Transformers: Super-God Masterforce series. Buster and Hydra were main characters in the 42 episode animated series which began its broadcast run in 1988 and continued to 1989. That series will actually be the next series discussed in my Making Sense of Generation One series.

Where Did The Time Go?

Wow... that is all I can say. I have looked at my blog a few times since last year, but I haven't done any updates since August of 2010. Needless to say, time just seemed to get away from me. I have a lot of other things going on in my life at this time, but I still want to try and keep up with this blog. Transformers are still awesome, and I still enjoy the brand. I mean, what's not to love about the continuing war between the Autobots and Decepticons. It seems like following the age old struggle keeps the kid in me alive and kicking. All this to say, I'll be back up and running with new posts ASAP! Once again, we're back!

Making Sense of Generation One: Part 6

In 1987, the final new episodes of the original Generation One Transformers aired in the United States. Although a fifth season aired, these episodes were only repackaged episodes from the first four seasons. It appeared that the adventures of the Autobots and Decepticons would only take place in the comic books for the rest of their run in the 1980's. However, in Japan, the animated adventures of the robots in disguise continued. In 1987, Takara (the Japanese company who owned the Transformers brand in Japan) chose not to import the three part series finale, The Rebirth, from the United States. Instead, Takara commissioned the production of an additional season to properly tie off the stories of the classic characters. This series was the 35 episode Transformers: The Headmasters.

Transformers: The Headmasters began its broadcast run exclusively in Japan in 1987. The series completely ignored the events of The Rebirth, and it picked up one year after The Return of Optimus Prime Part Two. Cybertron is at peace after the truce between the Decepticons and Autobots. However, Galvatron returns to Cybertron and launches a full scale assault with the new recruits to his army, the Headmasters (Wierdwolf, Skullcruncher, and Mindwipe). Galvatron sought to control the powerful super computer Vector Sigma which was deep within Cybertron. Meanwhile on Earth, the powerful new Decepticon warrior Sixshot leads the Triple-Changers and Constructicons against Autobot City. The Autobots are eventually saved from defeat when a force of Autobot Headmasters arrive on Cybertron aboard the powerful Battleship Maximus. Optimus Prime then ventured into Cybertron led by the spirit of Alpha Trion to locate Vector Sigma and protect it from the Decepticons. At the same time, Hot Rod and the Headmasters were searching for the Matrix (which Optimus had placed in a secret location on Earth to recharge after Optimus had released its energy). Eventually, Hot Rod found the Matrix and returned to Cybertron. Hot Rod became Rodimus Prime again and along side Optimus Prime and Cerebros, they battled Galvatron and the Deceticon Headmasters within the Vector Sigma chamber. Optimus Prime then sacrificed his life to protect Vector Sigma from Glavatron. From there, the story continued.

Although The Headmasters is the least favorite of the exclusive Japanese series, it is still an awesome series to watch and it felt like a more fitting finale for the classic characters we all know. Highlights of the 35 episode series included: the death of Optimus Prime, the return of Rodimus Prime, the deaths and rebirths of Soundwave and Blaster, the rise of Fortress Maximus and Skorponok as the new faction commanders, the destruction of Cybertron, the death of Galvatron, the creation of the Target Masters, and the final battle between both forces on Earth in which the Autobots drove the Decepticons from Earth at last. That sure is a lot of stuff for one series. Transformers: The Headmasters also told a different origin for the Headmasters and Target Masters. In the Japanese continuity, there are no Nebulans or humans bonded to Transformers. Instead, human sized Transformers build powerful Transformer sized bodies called Transtectors which they could combine with. In the case of the Target Masters, the human sized Transformers were fused to the hands of several Autobots and Decepticons during an explosion in space while they were in gun mode. From there, the "guns" could detach and transform into human sized robots.

If you felt the original U.S. series was tied off too quickly, this show definitely assisted in giving the classic characters a proper finale. It is rumored that the first 13 episodes of the series were created from aborted scripts for the U.S. fourth season. From there, the series shifted the focus onto the new characters. After the conclusion of this series, you would think that the war was finally over. However, the battle between the Autobots and Decepticons is a war without end.

Batman: Under The Red Hood

If you have read my blog for a while, you probably know that on rare occasions I'll post something non-Transformer related. This is one of those times. This weekend I saw (in my opinion) the best Batman film since the The Dark Knight. On July 27th, Warner Bros. Animation in association with DC Comics released Batman: Under The Red Hood on DVD and Blue Ray. It is an animated feature, but don't let that fool you. Like the previously released Batman: Gotham Knight, this is one film that pains me to see in the kids and family section. This is not one for the kiddos so I hope the parents mind the PG-13 rating.

The story combines elements from the Batman story arcs A Death in the Family and Under the Hood. The film opens with the Joker brutally murdering Jason Todd (the second Robin). Five years later, a mysterious new figure going by the name The Red Hood appears in Gotham City. The Red Hood is compared to Batman, however The Red Hood lacks the moral code of the Dark Knight, and he isn't afraid to kill. Batman and Nightwing (the original Robin) are now in pursuit of The Red Hood who seems to have ties to Batman's past. Also, the Joker gets caught in the middle and complicates the situation even more. For those of you who either haven't read the comics or seen the film, I'll leave it at this.

The film is produced by Bruce Timm, but it is not a continuation of the 1990's Batman: The Animated Series. This film is a stand alone story. The animation is amazing and the dark design really fits the characters, setting, and story well. Also, the new voices of Batman and the Joker are stunning. It is so hard to fill the shoes of Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill, but the new guys do so good of a job, you won't be disappointed. Also, the voice of The Red Hood and all of the other characters in the film are well cast. If you need a film to tide you over until 2011's conclusion to Christopher Nolan's Batman saga, this is the film to get. Like I said in the beginning, this is NOT a family movie. Please be mindful and don't trust the stores listing it as a family friendly film.